


Don't Add Water

by TravellingVisitor



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blood and Injury, Bonding, Burns, Comfort, Eye Injury, Fluff, Friendly touch, Friendship, Hugs, Humor, Major spoilers for Four Swords manga, Minor spoilers for SS, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reminiscing over old friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:28:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23083225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TravellingVisitor/pseuds/TravellingVisitor
Summary: Reminiscing about old friends is always a good way to spend your evening.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 104





	Don't Add Water

The candles around them sputtered softly in the warm inn room. Sky chuckled gently, leaning his head back against the headboard of the bed the four heroes were all sitting on together, one arm around Hyrule casually as they all talked. Wind was showing Four a wooden dice game he and his shipmates had played together quite often as they sailed and explored the Great Sea as he excitedly talked with all three of them. 

"-Tetra always won, she got lucky with _all_ her rolls, though I suspect weighted dice because she never lets me test them." He laughed, shaking his head. 

"Sounds like my friend Groose." Sky piped up, a smile quirking his lips. "He played to win, even on practical tests and exams. I remember the day I was knighted, he and his... Well, his cronies, they decided to throw eggs at me to try and knock me off my Loftwing so _Groose_ would win and be knighted instead."

"Really???"  
Four laughed himself, turning himself slightly to look at all three of the other heroes. "Your friends sound like real troublemakers... I had a friend a little like that, myself." He smiled, his eyes a shining mix of blue, green, red, and violet, all parts of himself enjoying the relaxed conversation. Hyrule was just leaned into Sky, getting used to casual touch, a shy smile splitting his cheeks as he listened to everyone's stories. 

To the side a candle made a cracking, snapping sound, attracting all of their attention momentarily in their curiosity. Then, as one, they started talking once more, radiant smiles shining in the shivering candlelight.

”How so?” Sky asked Four, ignoring the candle in favor of getting to know his companions better. 

Four rested his chin in his hand, smiling softly as he stared at the wall. He looked reminiscent. “Well,” Four started, a fond look in his eyes, “First of all, he decided to make us think that he had turned traitor to hang with the dark side.”

“No!” Wind laughed, sitting up straighter. 

“Yes! He did!” Four replied, a laugh bubbling up in his own throat. “At the time it was upsetting, of course, how couldn’t it be- but it turns out that he was treating our enemies similarly. He was playing _both sides._ ” Snorting, Four shook his head. “Used to make Bl- me so angry at times, I thought all his honor was gone. He even nailed G- me in the stomach with the hilt of his sword as we dueled in front of our enemies to _really_ sell it.”

Sky continued to listen with a smile, though the ends of it were curved in slight confusion on why Four seemed to keep stumbling over his words, replacing ‘me’ where different words apparently had once been. 

“And when it was over and he finally rejoined us- me- he would always tease u- _me _with his intelligence. He never was without his books, you know.”__

__For the first time, Hyrule spoke up, voice soft. “I have a question.”_ _

__“Mhmm?” Four looked over, his eyes still a kaleidoscope of color._ _

__“Well, I… I’ve noticed that you keep saying things other than ‘me’ before changing it. Did something ha-”_ _

__The world blew apart in a crackling blast of fire and metal._ _

__\------_ _

__In the next room over, Twilight was lounging with Legend and Time, all three of them focused as they played a card game in silence. By some stroke of luck Twilight was winning, ears perked in his quiet excitement to win._ _

__All until a crackling, hissing sound was heard through the wall, a high-pitched scream breaking through it and going silent quickly as the hissing crackle only grew louder. The table the three heroes had been playing at was quickly upturned as they all stood at once. Shouting and screams came from the next room over, a few words able to be heard through the cacophony. The smell of slowly-melting candles only grew stronger, wafting from the next room over, as the sudden scent of wood smoke quickly followed. Twilight’s chest tightened, gripped with fear and a constricting worry, as his eyes flicked to the door in time to catch sight of flickering light on the other side._ _

__“HELP-”_ _

__“FIRE-”_ _

___”WIND”_ _ _

__For a moment, chanting could be heard, but it was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream from the same voice._ _

__Instantly Twilight ran for the door, charging into the hall- and was instantly blocked by tongues of flame eating through the door to the fours’ room and crossing the hallway to the opposite wall in record speed._ _

__"No," he said, disbelief catching in his throat, the words more air than substance. "NO! WATER! WATER! GET--" Twilight turned, shouting, but was tugged back by a sick-looking Wild. “The innkeeper is ordering everyone who can leave, leave.” He whispered, wincing at another terrified scream from inside. “She’s getting people who can handle this with minimal damage to… To the inn.”_ _

__

__Twilight worked his jaw, staring back at Wild as the scarred hero pulled him back a bit. He looked then back at the fire, smoke starting to choke the hallway and making him cough. Backing up, he knew that if he got any closer he’d be reduced to ash in minutes- But what was Time doing?_ _

__\-------_ _

__As soon as the candles had blown into terrifying sparklers and Four had screamed, Wind had launched himself at the smaller hero, knocking him sideways into Sky. Sky, meanwhile, had surged forwards on the bed in an attempt to get away from the candle on his bedside table- it was spitting sparks, boiling oil, little metal pieces, and wax that stung and burned his skin, furious red burns forming underneath the wax and dripping oil that clung to his skin._ _

__The three others didn’t fare much better._ _

__They had all started to scream at once, yelling for help, reinforcements, water, anything, when a second high-pitched scream cut through all their yells, Wind’s face contorted in pain as he curled around Four. Already, tears were dripping from his right eye as he squeezed it shut, covering it with one hand and trying to hide it as the tears sliding from it were tinted with bloody red._ _

___”WIND-”_ Hyrule screamed, loud enough to be heard outside the flaming room, immediately starting to chant a healing spell- but that was cut off too, as a large sliver of hot metal sliced through the top of his tongue and through his cheek like a knife through butter. A spatter of hot wax followed it as Hyrule’s mouth stayed open in a scream._ _

__He was still gagging as Sky tucked his bloody face into the soft white and blue of Sky’s undershirt._ _

__“HELP- PLEASE-” Sky yelled, his ruby earrings going ice-cold as flames licked at his bare feet, the oil blown out of the candles having lit on undamaged wicks and set the walls aflame, the door already lit up with fiery tongues. He kept the three others wrapped in his arms, their belongings all stored in one collective room in case of disaster- one or two people could grab everything and go- but they couldn’t leave the room. Why wasn’t anyone else here yet? Sky hissed through clenched teeth as scorching metal zinged across his cheek and nicked his ear, Hyrule shaking and clutching at his cheek as the fire grew._ _

__They were all coughing now, Sky feeling the dripping of blood on his legs, and whether it was his or the others’, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he had to get them out, _somehow_ , and in a desperate attempt he grabbed the nearest candle and tried to throw it to the window, hoping the glass would burst with the explosion- but it blew up in his hand instead. With a broken scream to rival Hyrule’s he clutched his hand to his chest, head ducking down, spots of red on all their now-torn clothing as shrapnel continued to fly across the room, the candles still setting off crackling bursts in great quantities as hot wax splattered against their skin. _ _

__The biggest surprise came when the burning door was pulled out of his hinges, a one-eyed and furious frame in the doorway. Time was wearing his pants and a bright red tunic, but that was it._ _

__No armor. No items. Nothing at all... But the flames didn’t seem to be touching him._ _

__“I’LL GET YOU OUT OF HERE.” He roared, louder than even the rushing fire, coughing in the smoke. He ran to them, dodging a creaking ceiling beam and reaching an arm out, taking one of Winds’ and tucking the boy into his chest, wincing as metal cut his arm. Wind let out a tiny sob, both hands now clutched over his left eye, blood streaking down his cheek like gruesome tears. The pain was blazing, so white-hot that Wind could hardly make a sound, only gasping for air through tiny, strained sobs. Time scooped Wind into his arms and hurried the boy out as fast as he could, seeing his bleeding eye, and returned minutes later for Hyrule._ _

__Sky had himself wrapped around the remaining two, his mangled hand bleeding badly but he kept them held close, pushing Hyrule towards Time as soon as he saw the man come close enough. Hyrule was coughing, the smoke burrowing into his lungs and swirling there, making it harder and harder to breathe. The brunette grabbed one hand for Time, showing his desperation to get out, his other hand clamped over the hole in his cheek. Scarlet blood was oozing from his lips, a frightening sight, nearly the whole inside of his mouth red as more blood dripped from his chin and spattered the floor. Scooping Hyrule into his arms as he had done Wind, Time hurried out once more, worry tightening his throat._ _

__By the time Time came back for Four, who was the least injured out of everyone due to the others shielding him with their bodies, the flames were licking across the ceiling. He was rushing, only momentarily noticing how Four was clinging tightly to the dizzy-looking Sky as the ancient hero shoved the smaller one towards Time. Four’s eyes were red, whether it be from the smoke, the shocked tears brimming in them, or just the color of his irises Time didn’t know, just gathering the rambling boy in his arms._ _

__“What do I do what do I do _what do I do, Vio, Green, Blue, **help me** , what do I do-_” _ _

__Time didn’t waste a moment trying to understand what Four was saying, running out of the room once more._ _

__Sky had refused to go before the others, even if his breathing was quickly becoming more and more rough and what he saw was swimming in encroaching darkness._ _

__\-----_ _

__When Time came back for Sky, all he saw was a slumped, wheezing figure with fire licking at his heels. The blankets were catching, Time had to get the ancient hero _out_ , and moving as quickly as he could he ran through the room and grabbed Sky, lifting the wheezing teenager into his arms. He was barely conscious. Without wasting a second Time turned and ran out of the room and down the flaming steps; dodging the people chugging fire elixirs and toting buckets of water up to the origin of the flames. He continued to run until he was outside, in the clear air, and among the other heroes huddled together on the edge of the frightened crowd. _ _

__Legend was whispering to Hyrule, voice hoarse; he had fought ruthlessly against being pulled outside. Cradling Hyrule’s head in one hand he gently pressed a rag against Hyrule’s cut cheek, a cheek that had once been split by a smile now split by a gruesome cut, bleeding into his mouth and dripping blood down his chin. The curly haired hero didn’t make a sound but his expression showed a whimper, trying to push Legend’s hand away._ _

__Twilight held Wind and Four tight to his chest, neither of them protesting, Warriors banding his scarf tight around Wind’s head… Apparently they had seen his eye. Four was mostly uninjured, a few trickles of blood and angry red burns marring his frame but he was staring, pallid-faced, at Wind, eyes red, shaking softly where he stood._ _

__Time sat Sky down on the ground, leaning him forwards slightly and trying to get him to breathe, the young man coughing and wheezing, clothes damp in places with rapidly-cooling oil and wax, tear streaks cutting through the dark soot that marred all four of their faces. They all were in shock, and each very injured. Looking up and catching Twilight’s eye, they came to an immediate nonverbal decision: Medic. As soon as possible._ _

__Whistling loudly, Twilight called for Wild and the scarred hero ran over, soon running off further into the small village to look for someone, anyone who could help them._ _

__\-------_ _

__Hours later, five of the nine Links milled about silently in the main room of a healer’s home, the back room reserved for patients alone._ _

___Everyone was impatient and stressed as they waited for any news about the condition of the four injured heroes. Legend looked about ready to burst into the back room to demand answers, only held back by Warriors, who was talking to him in hushed tones. The captain was trying to keep himself calm, but worry was clearly reflected in his eyes._  
Wild was scrolling through his Sheikah Slate in an attempt to distract himself, but every so often his gaze flicked to the still-closed door that separated them from the others.  
Twilight had taken to pacing to try to ease his nerves, but he was still clearly worked up about the entire ordeal. As for his mentor, Time chose to sit by himself, sighing deeply as he waited. 

__A stunted old lady that looked rather like a harpy half-waddled out of the back room to join them, wearing a calming, soft smile. “They’ll all live.” She croaked, voice creaky with age. “The youngest, his eye has been severely damaged, so I’ve seen to that...” She rubbed her gnarled hands together, and even with her age, they were steady. “The oldest was having a hard time breathing, and had a lot of smoke in his lungs on top of that; the brunette had a gash in his cheek and wax in his mouth… You said they were all in the fire a few hours earlier?” Her smile had faded somewhat. “There was metal embedded in their skin and muscle in a lot of places. Many cuts and burns will scar. I’ve done my best, I can promise they’ll live, but they’ll need some time.”_ _

__“Can we visit them?” Legend was already on his feet, hands curled into fists._ _

__“Yes, but be _quiet_. The oldest and youngest are sleeping, and the others are tired.” _ _

__Without waiting for another answer Legend rushed past her, Twilight and Wild close behind. Warriors and Time exchanged a look before following, all five doing their best to be quiet._ _

__The sight inside the cramped room was, to be honest, depressing._ _

__There were only two beds, and Hyrule was sitting awake on one with Four behind him, both having looked at the door silently when the others came in. A heavily bandaged pair of heroes were laying together on the other bed, tucked underneath a blanket, sleeping deeply. Wind had a blood stained bandage over his right eye. Giving that bed a wide berth, Legend ran straight to Hyrule, colliding with the younger boy and hugging him tight. The older healer had followed them inside, her croaky voice heard quietly._ _

__“He’s not going to be speaking much until that cheek of his heals… No tough foods. For any of them.”_ _

__Four’s eyes were still red, one hand sliding over the blankets, swallowing down an ashen taste in his throat. Warriors sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around the shortest hero’s shoulders. “It’s going to be alright, buddy.” Warriors whispered quietly, and that was all that needed to be said for Four’s shoulders to start shaking as he reached up and grabbed onto the war hero’s sleeve, burrowing his face into his shoulder. Warriors had never seen the kid this emotional, but he’d take it if it meant the kid would be okay._ _

__After a few minutes’ silence, broken only by quiet whispers passed between heroes, the old healer left. A few minutes later Legend had managed to soothe Hyrule to sleep, and then Warriors laid down with Four and held him tight, the shivering teenager’s eyes closed. Legend pulled up a chair, planning to sleep there, and the other three heroes did the same around the other bed. One by one they all supposedly fell asleep, tucked up together in the dark back room of the healer’s home, though at least one blue eye stayed open at all times._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Silona, Lari, Grim, Eclipse, Cecil, and Kouvr, who all helped me in the making of this first chapter in their own unique ways <3 I love you guys so much
> 
> And to the readers; :)


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